SLO County Probation Dept. Thanks GNG!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

SLO County Probation Dept. Thanks GNG!

The following article was posted on May 18th, 2011, in the New Times - Volume 25, Issue 42 -

Thanks for the guitars

chief probation officer, San Luis Obispo County

JIM SALIO

On behalf of the San Luis Obispo County Probation Department, I would like to thank Deputy Sheriff Dale Anderson and the local chapter of Guitars Not Guns for their generous donation of six acoustic guitars to the County Juvenile Hall.

Since 1992, Guitars Not Guns has been providing guitars to minors at risk for delinquency all over the United States and Canada. The guitars will be used in the Juvenile Hall Guitar Program, a program in which Juvenile Hall staff members provide basic guitar lessons to detained minors. It is hoped that by providing a positive recreational outlet for minors, they will be less likely to reoffend and return to the Juvenile Hall.

I'd also like to thank Juvenile Services Officers Darby Lambrecht and Jeremy Griego, as well as Mental Health therapist Jim Pearce for their efforts in starting the Juvenile Hall Guitar Program.

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How You Can Help

Guitars Not Guns, Inc. in California is entirely a volunteer organization. It has no employees so all donations are used to fulfill Our Mission to provide free guitars and lessons to foster kids, at risk youth and other deserving children ages 8 to 18 years old.

We need volunteer guitar instructors, classroom assistants, grant writers, bookkeepers, fundraisers and program leaders. You do not have to know how to play guitar to be a volunteer.

To volunteer go the "Volunteer" page and follow the instructions. We and the kids can always use your help.

How The Program Works

We "loan" guitars and guitar accessories to our students that they are to use to practice and carefully maintain for eight (8) weeks of one hour per week classes. The students and their guardians sign a lease contract for the equipment and most care for the guitars. The guitar may be the only personal item the student has ever possessed since foster children may move multiple times each year from guardian to guardian or facility to facility.. The object of the contract is to teach the students to take care of possessions. The students are not told this but, upon successful completion of the first level of classes, the guitars and accessories will be given to them to keep at no cost. The final class is a party to celebrate completion of the eight week program. The students play and we bring in accomplished musicians, some that are their age, to motivate them to further study with us and independently. For some, it is the first time they have been exposed to live music.